The ORC Forges Ahead, Even After WotC Backs Off

Wizards of the Coast might have backed down from their plans to de-authorize the OGL 1.0a. But Paizo and the ORC alliance press on.

Wizards of the Coast put their 5.1 SRD into Creative Commons this past Friday. Alongside that, they announced that they would no longer pursue de-authorizing the OGL.

This was a massive victory for the open gaming movement. But while WotC may have backed down this time, the folks behind the upcoming ORC license, have said this only helps highlight the need for an independent, neutral license.

Paizo Confirms – The ORC License Will Grow

In a statement on Twitter, Paizo both welcomed Wizards’ decision, while reiterating their plans to keep developing the Open RPG Creative License, aka the ORC:

‘We welcome today’s news from Wizards of the Coast regarding their intention not to de-authorize OGL 1.0a. We still believe there is a powerful need for an irrevocable, perpetual independent system-neutral open license that will serve the tabletop community via nonprofit stewardship. Work on the ORC license will continue, with an expected first draft to release for comment to participating publishers in February.:

When last we heard, more than 1,500 people had thrown in their support behind the ORC license. Publishers big and small (though none, the billion-dollar powerhouse that is WotC), had signed on to support the plan.

A system-neutral license could be a huge boon to the independent developers out there. As not only is this another license to release games under, it’s a way to make rules more widely available. Of course, that all depends on whether the community adopts the ORC or not.

Paizo posits there’s still a need. Because WotC leadership may have reversed course this time. But even if the OGL 1.0a were never developed, its limits were put to the test this past month. And the community could see the cracks in the facade for themselves.

Will the ORC fulfill everyone’s needs?

We’ll have to wait and find out, but check back in early February.

Author: J.R. Zambrano

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]